Thursday, September 20, 2012

Flannery's First Day of School 2012

I have a middle schooler. 6th grade. This is big. Before she started, she decided she wanted her hair red. I protested a bit and than Chris said, "It's just hair." So, we colored it. She got a fabulous cut at a salon, and in June, she got her braces on. She's all grown up.

She plays soccer, goes to youth group twice a week, joined beginning band and plays the clarinet. We started attending church again, after a hiatus after Easter and I joined a women's group that meets Thursday evenings. 

My creativity is stuck in the mud right now and I haven't been designing or creating at all lately. I miss it, but I know better than to force it. When I do that, it's never pretty. 

I love living in Gresham, close to friends and to our families. We've been here a little over a year now, and I think we like it. So far so good.


Monday, June 11, 2012

I always want to be something more. Chris pointed this out to me when I sat here and made a list of all the projects and businesses I have started and all the things I want to become.

I want to be a crisis counselor, a grief counselor and a certified funeral director.
Good Grief is my death and dying business...we also do Relay for Life every year. I love working with the terminally ill and planning their funeral/memorial services. I love to comfort the grieving.

I want to be a published writer in the style of Anne Lamott. Stories of my own life, reflections and such. I'm great at that.

I want to be a popular face in the scrapbooking industry with Trish Hafer. I want Back Stage Originals to take off and become hugely popular...tour the country with our product and teach classes.

I want to be Mikee Bridges' assistant again. The festivals and shows...I was so good at that job. I am fantastic at organization, memory and deadlines. He's moved to Ventura, and it's not exactly a possibility, but I still have that desire.

Chris brought up the idea that right now, I am a wife and mother. I'm good at it. Why can't this be my first priority? Why do I fight it? Today, I decided to make it my priority. I did my chores, did a little extra, made a list for summer activities, made dinner and really feel great about it.

I know that God knows my future and He didn't give me these dreams and desires to just sit and make me miserable. I may indeed become a funeral director, travel with Trish and fly in and help Mikee with events. I might start writing again. But to take the focus off of everything and "be present" (thanks Oprah), I felt a huge weight lifted off of me.

I think I can breathe again. Thanks Chris. I love you.

Friday, February 3, 2012

New Year...A Month Later...

I'm trying to become a morning person. For the past month I have had it easy. Chris has been waking Flannery for school, taking her to school, coming home and when Cannon awoke, he fed and played with Cannon until I woke up around 10 or 11 am. Well, he's working days this week and I have had to rise at 6:30 am and get Flannery off to school on the bus. Usually, when I've had these mornings, I go back to bed until about 9 am until Cannon wakes up. Well, I've decided to instead stay up, clean the house a bit, catch up on TV, news and drink coffee until Cannon wakes up.

This is day 3. So far so good. I feel more alive or something. I move more during the day, get things done and actually feel creative!

January 1st 2012, Trish and I met and were inspired to finally go for it and kick Back Stage Originals into high gear. One month later, we have sold 10 orders (a few LARGE orders) on our Etsy site, have 120 "likes" on our Facebook page and are selling better than ever at A Joy Forever, our favorite scrapbook store in Milwaukie, OR.

I am the marketing girl, mostly, and when I get inspired, I create and design. Trish is the head designer and finances girl. We're actually getting a paycheck this month! So weird to be making money living my dream. I love this!!

Visit us on facebook and shop at our Etsy store!